Top 5: Private island resorts

Claim your personal patch of paradise — off-limits to all but a few other guests and a clutch of staff — with our island guide.

By National Geographic Traveller (UK)
Published 11 Jul 2014, 11:00 BST, Updated 1 Jul 2021, 11:52 BST

01 Teti'aroa, Tahiti
Marlon Brando had the right idea — while scouting for film locations, he stumbled upon the Tahitian atoll of Teti'aroa and later stumped up the cash to buy it: his own plot of privacy away from those pesky paps. From July, it's an exclusive eco-enclave with 35 plush timber villas. thebrando.com

02 Laucala Island, Fiji
Owned by Austrian Red Bull magnate Dietrich Mateschitz, this 25-villa sanctuary is open to bookings when he's jetting off elsewhere. Swish food menus come courtesy of Australian star chef Anthony Healy, while a PADI dive centre will help you explore the cool blue. Elle Macpherson is such a fan, she hired the island in its entirety for her wedding. 

03 Isla Tagomago, Spain
If you're in need of a discreet crash pad away from the heavy-going hedonism of nearby Ibiza, this idyll of wild pine trees and rocky cliffs is just the place. There's only one pad to stay here, and that's the ritzy five-room villa with a BBQ terrace, Bang & Olufsen sound system, pool and beach bar — and an army of staff, of course. 

04 Hayman Island, Australia
This lavish resort in the Whitsundays is reopening in July following a £30 million revamp. Great news for those who prefer a touch of glamour on their island escape — think marble floors and crisp white beds rather than rustic chic. A highlight? The slick spa with treatment beds overlooking the Great Barrier Reef. 

05 Musha Cay, Bahamas
For a daily fee of £22,000, this unspoiled chain of 11 cays can be yours. Fill your days shoulder-to-shell with turtles, snooze in hammocks on balmy beaches, or sharpen your tennis serve, before bedding down in one of five colonial-stye villas sitting among the waving palms. 

Published in the Jul/Aug 2014 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)

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